


Opening Night

by Pi_Dreams



Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Human, Background Morality | Patton Sanders, Boys Kissing, Deceit | Janus Sanders Has Vitiligo, First Kiss, Fluff, Logic | Logan Sanders Is A Good Friend, M/M, Romantic Fluff, The Greatest Showman fandom- freeform, Theater Kid Creativity | Roman "Princey" Sanders, Theater!AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-09
Updated: 2020-12-09
Packaged: 2021-03-09 20:36:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,793
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27592156
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pi_Dreams/pseuds/Pi_Dreams
Summary: Roman Prince is the star of the show, and he's never happier than when he's in the spotlight.  Virgil Oluja loves theater, but he'll stay backstage and do the real work.  However, opening night always has everyone a little excited, and a convenient dark hallway might just give Roman the chance he's been waiting for.
Relationships: Anxiety | Virgil Sanders/Creativity | Roman "Princey" Sanders
Comments: 4
Kudos: 39





	Opening Night

**Author's Note:**

> Hi everyone! This is yet another first for me- my first ship fic. Please note that the romance is going to be weird. I have no idea what I'm doing. (Almost) all the theater in this fic, however, is a combination of things I've done throughout the years. We did actually have a dance party opening night, and the mic checks and makeup were just as crazy and weird and anticlimactic as they are here.
> 
> TWs: some negative self-imaging right at the beginning
> 
> This story is for my best friend, who introduced me to Sanders Sides and insisted prinxiety was real until I finally came to believe.

Roman checked the lapels of his costume with a sigh. Everything looked okay, and nothing was falling off, so he figured it was a win. “Go slay,” Remus said, shooting him double birds before turning back to console a crying Patton, whose mask had lost a feather. Roman walked out of the green room and into the hall, breathing in the smell of shoe rosin and makeup and Mr. Sanders’ enchiladas. There was something else there too he just called ‘theater smell,’ because it was always in every theater, no matter where in the building. He let Logan tape his mic on and tried not to fidget through the makeup, but he was pretty sure he was unsuccessful. 

“Well, at least the vitiligo will come in handy for once,” Janus said from across the room. “I can push around set pieces on stage and people will think I’m another circus performer.”

“You’re a member of the cast and the crew, Janus. Don’t be so sarcastic.”

“Why not? I might as well make fun of myself, it all works out and I’m helpful.”

“Negative self-talk right before opening night will only lower the morale of the cast,” Logan sighed.

“Open your eyes, Roman. Thanks,” Talyn said. “Okay, you’re good. Don’t touch your face, though.”

“Got it. Thanks,” Roman said, jumping off the stool. “Heya, Calculator Watch, Lord of the Lies. See you backstage in ten?”

Logan looked up from taping on little eight-year-old Lizzie’s mic. “I don’t think I’ll be done by then. I’m helping with mic checks as well. I’ll be in the booth all show.”

“Poop. Jay? Anything? Help a guy out here?”

“If you count shuttling props from the icebox, sure. The cast isn’t the only one who has to work opening night, dear Prince.”

“I hate you both but also love you,” Roman said, pushing the door open and taking the half flight of stairs down to the auditorium. Most of the cast was already in costume and everything, waiting for Mr. Sanders and Joan to start testing. He plopped down by Kalie and Aaron, who gave him a thumbs-up. 

“How’s life, my dude?”

“I’m a bit nervous, but we are totally going to slay. Right here, right now, I’ll put the offer out,” he sang. Aaron laughed.

“Bro, hold on for the actual show. I will duet you till the end of time, when we’re onstage.”

“You two are so gay,” Kalie said, laughing. “I love you both, but you’re a mess.”

“Like you don’t have quirks of your own, dear Miss Bi. Are you ready to ham it up with our Prince here? Confess your undying love onstage?”

“It’s a role, Airhead X-treme, not a reality.”

“Tell that to the dude who’s been singing showtunes non stop since he got Barnum,” Aaron smirked. 

“A through C, on stage please!”

“And that’s my cue,” Kalie said. “Scuse me, Ro.” She slipped past him, long skirts rustling with every step, and took the tiny spiral steps up onstage. Roman leaned back in his seat and sighed. Virgil and opening night- he wasn’t sure his butterflies could take any more.

When Mr. Sanders finally called P, Roman was too antsy to sit still. At least his mic worked, so he got a thumbs up and got to- yay- go back to his seat. Finally, everyone was ready and out in the auditorium with an hour and a half to go until curtain. Mr. Sanders walked out onto center stage and waved. “Hello there!”

“Hi,” the cast (and Remus) yelled back. 

“Thank you all so much for a wonderful year and another great show. Before we get going on the dance party, I have a few thank yous to make. Could the crew come up here with me please?” He waited for them to all hop up and then beamed out at everyone. “From left to right, Remus Prince, who has helped with prop design and costumes this whole time. He’s running costume changes backstage left, so be sure to say thank you for that. Logan Sorenson has helped with mics and makeup and will be helping out Joan in the sound booth, thank you so much, both of you. Janus Nahesa has been invaluable in getting the backdrops up and running, and he’s also our muscle for moving set pieces around, thank you Janus. You all know Joan, our sound tech. They’re why people can hear you and the music and without them, we wouldn’t really have a show, so props for that one, Joan. Talyn is our makeup artist and they’re the reason you all look great right now, a shout-out for that. Last but not least, Virgil Oluja, who was not only willing to take point on props, but who also designed the posters for the show and has done most of the emergency repair work and has been here all week running tiny little errands to keep things running smoothly. He’s taken on the terrifying job of keeping track of the prop table. You’re a better man than I, Virgil. Let’s give them all a giant round of applause here!”

As they all started clapping, Virgil lifted one hand and yanked his hood up over his head. His big grey eyes blinked out at the audience and Roman swore his heart actually skipped a beat. 

“And now, guys, gals, and non-binary pals, dance party!” Mr. Sanders yelled. “Come on, Joan, let’s get it going!”

Joan jumped off the stage and set off at a run for the booth. Logan started to follow, but Janus grabbed his arm and muttered something in his ear. From his expression, it was probably You’re not leaving me here. Then The Lion King poured out of the speakers and a mob of excited theater kids swarmed the stage. 

Ten minutes later, Roman slipped out of the throng and into the darkened hall to catch his breath. He had just taken a drink of water when he saw a figure sitting on the floor, knees drawn up to their chest. He realized with a jolt that it was Virgil.

“Can I sit down?” he asked. Virgil shrugged, so Roman slid to the floor next to him. “What’s up?”

“Get lost, Princey,” Virgil said, but there was no heat in it. His hood fell back, showing off that beautiful, fluffy, slightly curly hair that Roman had always, always wanted to touch, because it had to be so soft and silky. “Why are you out here?”

“Hair,” Roman said dumbly, then realized his mistake. “Um, air. I mean air. I needed some air. It was kind of extra, you know.”

“Roman Prince, overlord of all things extra, needed a break from a dance party. My Spidey-senses are telling me that the fact that we met here wasn’t exactly chance.”

“I did!”

“Uh-huh.”

“Really, there’s just so many people and I love it, but it can get a little overwhelming-” Virgil set a cool finger against Roman’s lips and he fell silent in shock.

“You’re rambling.” His dark hair fell in his eyes and Roman’s hand reached out unbidden to push it away. It was even fluffier than he’d imagined and he could feel his pulse speeding up.

“Sorry.”

“Has anyone ever told you how hopelessly out of it you are?”

Roman laughed. “That’s what brothers are for.”

One corner of Virgil’s mouth quirked upwards and Roman realized he had a dimple. “Remus is a character all right.” His hand skimmed the sleeve of Roman’s red velvet jacket. “Imagine what he’d say if he saw us like this in a dark hall with music in the background.”

“Something lewd,” Roman agreed. They were so close now their foreheads were almost touching. So close, they were so close. His lips brushed Virgil’s, and then his hand was buried in that thick, soft hair and they were kissing, really kissing. Virgil tasted like mint and coffee and chapstick, and Roman was uncomfortably aware that his breath was probably pretty gross. Virgil pulled back, and in the half-light his eyes seemed to glow. 

“He’s not entirely wrong.”

Roman sputtered incoherently for a few seconds before finally saying, “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have, you’ll have makeup on you and-”

“I’m beginning to think there’s only one way to get you to shut up,” Virgil sighed, and kissed him again. Roman was gasping for air by the time he lifted his head again, and Virgil flashed a smile. “You are so gay it’s not funny.”

“So are you,” Roman managed, pulling the other boy towards him. “You’re baiting me, you evil fiend.” This time he initiated the kiss, and Virgil laughed quietly into him.

The song changed, and with a jolt of embarrassment, Roman realized it was Can You Feel the Love Tonight. “I should probably go dance,” he said awkwardly. “Physical warm ups and stuff.”

“If you want to.” Virgil shrugged.

“Or- or we could dance? In here? Just the two of us?”

“Princey, I don’t dance.” Virgil bumped him lightly. “However, I could be persuaded to learn.”

“Another kiss?”

“And here I thought you didn’t use your brain at all.”

Roman drew Virgil to his feet. “A waltz is pretty easy. It’s just one two three and I can lead if you want so you don’t have to think.”

“I like thinking,” Virgil joked, kissing Roman again. “Come on, Mr. Barnum. Show me this waltz before we get interrupted.”

It was a fiasco, to say the least, and they ended up giggling silently on the floor again. Eventually, Virgil looked up at Roman and sighed. “I should fix your makeup and send you out on stage again, shouldn’t I.”

“I can stay-”

“And bring Mr. Sanders down on us for making out in costume? No way. Come on, Sir Sing-a-lot, let’s get you touched up.”

“I like that nickname, My Chemically Imbalanced Romance, and I will be using it.”

“I can’t do this if you’re talking.”

“Sorry.” 

Virgil dabbed the sponge around his mouth for a couple seconds before nodding. “That should do it. Go out there and kill it. After all, the show must go on.”

“You-”

“Shoo, you’re ruining my emo persona.”

Roman set his hand on the door to backstage, but turned back. “See you again?”

“I’m the props master, of course I’ll see you. All the love, now go dance.” The last thing Roman saw as he clsed the door behind himself was that crooked, dimpled smile.

“Took you long enough,” Remus said when he saw Roman, winking conspiratorially.

“Oh my god,” Roman groaned. “Shut up already!” 

As soon as his brother turned away, a giant grin spread across his face. He, Roman Prince, had kissed Virgil Oluja. This was officially the best opening night ever.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading! Concrit is welcome!


End file.
